Dr Bonell is a Research Fellow at the Bolton Clarke Research Institute. Dr Bonell received her PhD in psychology from the University of Melbourne in 2022. Her background is in body image. Namely, Dr Bonell holds expertise in the stigmatisation of ageing; that is, how society's perceptions of us shift as we begin to look older and the influence this can have on mental health. She is currently working on the evaluation of Connect Local - a social connection program for over 65s operating in Glen Eira, Melbourne. Dr Bonell's role entails evaluating whether the Connect Local program is doing what it's supposed to be doing (i.e., improving participants' social connection and mental and physical health).